Florida’s billionaires want more private schools. So they’re building their own.
The children of South Florida’s new tech titans and hedge-fund managers are overwhelming the area’s school system. Most of the private schools are full. Many are expanding but still lack even enough desks for all the children of recently relocated executives. Now, the uber-wealthy are reshaping the educational landscape to meet the needs of their children, and those of people like themselves. [Source: Wall Street Journal]
Florida school districts in cutting mode while awaiting state budget
As Florida lawmakers continue to delay their budget preparation, school officials across the state can’t stop talking about money. Mostly, they’re focused on how to cope with less funding, a result of shrinking enrollment, and rising fixed costs they say are squeezing their accounts. With employment being their main expense, many officials are focusing on that area. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Cursive writing, presidential portraits coming to Florida schools
Washington and Lincoln will soon be watching over Florida students as they practice their cursive, thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis late Monday evening. A wide-ranging education bill (SB 182) includes provisions requiring students to learn cursive writing and for school districts to post pictures of Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln at a “conspicuous place” in each public school. The bill takes effect July 1. More from NBC Miami and WTSP.
How much do Florida universities pay their graduate assistants?
Lots of graduate assistants across the country say they don’t earn fair stipends. At the University of South Florida, graduate assistants recently approved a bargaining contract that secured a handful of wins: paid parental leave, bonuses and an increase to the university’s contribution to their health insurance premiums. Graduate assistants often work 10 to 30 hours every week on research, teaching and grading papers, while also working towards their master’s or doctoral degree. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida wants to bar undocumented immigrant students from public colleges
Students applying to Florida's public colleges will have to show proof they are U.S. citizens or legally in the country if a proposed policy goes through. The policy will require applicants to "provide clear and convincing documentation that he or she is a citizen of the United States or lawfully present in the United States prior to being granted admission to the institution." The Department of Education is proposing the change after state lawmakers failed to pass similar restrictions for public universities this past legislative session. [Source: WUSF]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Sweeping plans for University of Miami campus revamp
As the University of Miami enters its second century, it is mapping a sweeping transformation of its Coral Gables footprint, including new student housing, plans for its first full-service hospital on the main campus and a proposed seven-story football operations center tied to a broader 10-year strategy for growth and modernization. The university’s expansion is guided by its “Roadmap to Our New Century,” a strategic plan unveiled during its centennial that outlines goals for advancing research, healthcare, student life and global engagement over the next decade.
› University of Tampa breaks ground on ‘generational’ 5-story science center
More than 100 city and university officials and community members gathered Wednesday along the patio of the University of Tampa’s Grand Center building, alongside heavy machinery set to crunch into the rich soil beside the Hillsborough River. In about three years, that ground will be home to the private university’s five-story Dickey Science Innovation Center.
› How Gainesville and UF stack up among the nation’s best college towns
Gainesville landed fifth in RentCafe's 2026 Best College Towns rankings, slipping two spots from 2025. Scoring 91.79 out of 100, the U.S.-based nationwide apartment search website RentCafe ranked towns using 12 metrics focused on education, affordability and livability. Out of 292 cities, RentCafe defines college towns as those with populations between 10,000 and 300,000 and with at least 10% of the population made up of students, based on U.S. Census data.
› Private school gets OK to operate at Boca Raton Innovation Campus
A private school has been approved for the Boca Raton Innovation Campus, adding to the large office park that once housed an IBM campus. Palm Beach International Academy is a private school for students from sixth to 12th grade that provides “personalized curricula and extreme flexibility for families and students with busy schedules,” according to its website. The academy implements an approach where students complete schoolwork at their own pace rather than attending a traditional school at a set time every day.